The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-01-04
TRANSPORTATION RATES.
An Important 1nvcsti3nilon-Th Lon: an,
Short Hnul irnhlnIu.

An Important 1nvestiza.lon-rhs Lon: and
Short Hau, rrobleu..
WASHINGTON, Ian. 3.-Senator Allricn,
Chairman Of the Senate COMMITTEES on
Transportation Routes to the Seaboa.d,
authorizes the publication OF tho report Of
that committee upon the subject Of rail.
road ireish!G in the United States and
other countries. the s.u1y Of which for
the purpose OF settling cestEin Quas!ions
pertaining TO Interstate Commsrus hap
long been i'll progress by his committee
Tho appointment OF special Senate
Com,nitteeag Interstate ComtnsIce some-
what modified tho wo!k originally mappe !!
out by the Committee on Transportation
to the Seabcard, and thai committee dc.
cided not to take testimony az it was su-
thorizsd to do, bu. to coudres's 6 special
line OF inquiry, to ascertain, II possible,
the relative progress Of the various graiu
producing centres.
The eomplets report makes 900 pages
Of printed matter, aud CONTAINS many
valuable tab!ea and much information Oh
tho subject OF transportation, gathered
from nearly every country IL tho world.
The first table presented indicated the Pic.
gresr OF tbs United States for generation
Thirty-thrce yes:s ngo We producsd 100
million busheln OF wheat, :n0 about 600,-
900 900 bushels OF corn. Twice i'll recent
years vo haye reached 500. 600 600 bunheio
Of wheat, and in 1895, the corn crop reach-
ed l,s00,0O00o0 bushels, iya fold in
crease in wheat and a three fold intteses
in corn. The increase in other cereals
hasnot been 50 rapid, nor are they regarl-
cd by the comn,it;ss IS CO important IS
the increase in wheat aud cor4.
In tho export ..sda the committee gsys;
Wheat has already ranked fret in value
and in tilty.eight years has added S2 $780,.
600, 600 to the value Of our national pro.
duction, sum equivalent to four times
the value OF exported corn sal cornmeal
during the game period. The report
shows tbs countries to which every
bushel Of this grain lss been exported
and the percentage Of exports each year
from 1850 to 1883. ll5 -
THE MOVEMENT OF GRAIN. f5i5
The report Glsp shows the movement
Of grain wituia the United States and
points out what changes have taken p'aca
In tho grost centres Of the country since
the cloae Of tbe var. The average ANIMAL
receipts Of craiu in fortisaJ, Maine, Ns&
Otleaps, Detroit, Uleyelaud snd Pitts.
burgh have remained throughout the two
periods stationary. Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toledo, Erie,
st. Louis apd Peoria have, speaking
rouadly, douh!ra their average receipts
during the latter period. Baltimore,
Louisville and Duluth haYe Increased
nearly threshold, while the average
annual receipts at Kansas City have in-
creased nine-foid. a marked inaregse is
noticeable in Milwaukee and Buffalo, but
there hes been a decided decrease in the
receipta OF Oswego and Ogdeusburg. '55:Ft.
The Atlantic ports not only consume
vast quantities OF this grain, but the bulk
OF tho productis shipped abroad there.
from. 1t is shown by the tables that
during the wet years ending with 1883,
the average anuuatreceip.sof cereals Of aIt
kinda at these ports, have been in round
figures 100000. 900 bushels. Efforts were
made by the committee group together
tho average yearly prices Of grain at the
various grain centres OF the United States
for ssries Of years, and to show the
difference in prices per bushel ut various
points between these geographical rections
which would represent in mee.
sure, ths freight and the tendency
Of the rates Of freight charges. 1t is
shown. for example, that the difference in
the prices Of corn between tho Atlantic
ports and the lake ports has steadily DO.
clined from 2lc. per bushel in 1873 to l0c.
per bushe! In 1883; between the Atlantic
p,rta and the western ,iver ports from l9s.
In 1873 to lie. in 1883. An attempt was
made by tho committee to ascertain tho
rates OF freight from the principal inter
mediats points to the seaboard, and also
from the intermediate points to the pfin-
cipal cities OF various Ssases. This inyes-
tigation was conducted in the hope OF Us.
certaining facts in regard to the difference
Of rates charged for Tong hauls and ehort
hauls, and to throw light upon the yexed
question OF q long aud short haul.
49, LONG AND SHORT uAUls. s5
In relation 10 this inquiry, the commit.
teo says: I'll the returns from which the
above summary Is constructed may be re.
lied on (and the committee has been csre,
full In aelecting only returns that appeared
upon their faco correct) tho ratca charged
ior local freight arc evidently levied on
the somewhat general principle Of what
tho traffic will bear, In MaaBacbuHetts